Mobile phone comprising display that transitions between lateral and longitudinal states

ABSTRACT

An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile phone which allows a user to continuously watch a television broadcast even if there is a call from the other party phone. If a call comes from the other party phone in a state of displaying television image on a main display, the television audio output part  36  stops outputting television audio corresponding to the television image while the television image display part maintains display of the television image on the main display, wherein the character information display part  38  causes the main display to display caption corresponding to the television image. Therefore, the user is allowed to continuously watch the television broadcast on the basis of the television image and caption while communicating with the other party phone.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a mobile phone, and more specificallythe improvement in a mobile phone which allows users to view televisionbroadcasts.

BACKGROUND ART

Some of mobile phones are provided with an antenna which receivestelevision broadcast waves transmitted from television stations, inwhich television images are displayed on a display screen and televisionaudio corresponding the television images is outputted on the basis ofthe television broadcast waves, thereby a user is allowed to viewtelevision broadcasts (refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2 for example).

External output device, such as a speaker incorporated in a mobile phoneto amplify and output television audio, and earphones to be connected toan external output terminal which is provided in a mobile phone, is usedas audio output means for outputting television audio. When a user viewsa television broadcast at home or in an environment where no one isaround, or when several friends get together to view a televisionbroadcast, television audio can be outputted from a speaker. On thecontrary, in a train or in an environment surrounded by many unspecifiedpeople, a user is allowed to view a television broadcast by outputtingtelevision audio via an external outputting device such as earphoneswithout causing trouble to surrounding people.

Meanwhile, when the user talks over the telephone between the otherparty phone, voice from the other party phone can be heard by moving areceiver provided in a mobile phone close to an ear of the user. Voicefrom the other party phone can also be outputted from a speaker or anexternal outputting device in communication with the other party phone.In commonly used mobile phones in which television broadcasts can bereceived, users are thus allowed to call by selecting any one among areceiver, a speaker and an external output device, and to viewtelevision broadcasts by selecting either a speaker or an externaldevice.

Mobile phones disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are provided with adisplay case created with a display screen and an operation case havingan arrangement with a number of operation keys, in which the displaycase is rotatably held by the operation case within a face ofhorizontally disposing the display screen. Mobile phones of this typehas, for example, the display screen created into a rectangular shape,in which the display case is rotated with respect to the operation caseso as to use the display screen switched between a longitudinallyextended state brought by setting a longitudinal direction of thedisplay screen as a vertical direction, and the laterally extended statebrought by setting a widthwise direction of the display screen as avertical direction.

Since television images typically have a laterally extended aspectratio, setting the display screen to the laterally extended stateprovides excellent display of television images. In contrast, when auser answers a call from the other party phone, the mobile phone is usedby setting the display screen to a longitudinally extended state.Commonly used mobile phones are provided with a transmitting microphonefor inputting voice at one end of the operation case in a longitudinaldirection, and a receiver for outputting voice from the other partyphone at one end of the display case in a longitudinal direction.Accordingly, a user moves the mobile phone close to the face by usingthe display screen in a longitudinally extended state while disposingthe transmitting microphone close to the mouth and the receiver close tothe ear, so that satisfactory communication can be realized.

As another example of mobile phones which allows users to viewtelevision broadcasts, mobile phones are proposed in such that, when anelectronic mail is received while viewing a television broadcast, anotification is displayed on a display screen for a user to confirmreception of the electronic mail without interrupting the user to viewthe television broadcast (e.g. refer to Patent Documents 3 and 4). Insuch mobile phones, users who confirmed reception of an electronic mailcarry out a predetermined operation to start an application for browsingcharacter information of the electronic mail, whereby full text of theelectronic mail can be displayed for browsing on the display screen. Ifnecessary, an operation is carried out to start an application forcreating an electronic mail so as to create a reply electronic mail to areceived electronic mail.

-   Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.    2004-215180-   Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.    2005-12344-   Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.    2005-130132-   Patent Document 4: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.    2005-198259

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

If there is a call from the other party phone while viewing a televisionbroadcast in mobile phones which are capable of receiving televisionbroadcasts as stated above, an operation needs to be carried out toanswer the call after an operation to stop viewing the televisionbroadcast is carried out. Accordingly, a call from the other party phonenecessarily interrupts viewing of a television broadcast, wherecommunication with the other party phone is not compatible with viewinga television broadcast.

Moreover, a direction of a display screen to allow satisfactorycommunication typically differs from a direction of the display screento allow satisfactory viewing of television broadcasts. Accordingly, ifthere is a call from the other party phone while viewing a televisionbroadcast on the display case disposed in a longitudinally extendedstate, operations need to be carried out to rotate the display case intoa longitudinally extended state and to answer the call. On the contrary,if a user tries to view a television broadcast, operations need to becarried out to rotate the display case from a longitudinally extendedstate to the laterally extended state and to start viewing a televisionbroadcast. In either case, troublesome operations are required.

Furthermore, since power consumed by the mobile phones to view atelevision broadcast is relatively high, it is preferable to discontinuedisplay of television images or other images if not necessary in such acase as communicating with the other party phone. Also, in the case ofanswering a call from the other party phone while viewing a televisionbroadcast, it is necessary to stop viewing the television broadcast,which causes a problem because a user is prevented from viewing thetelevision broadcast thereafter.

In the conventional mobile phones as disclosed in Patent Documents 3 and4, users are allowed to confirm reception of an electronic mail whileviewing a television broadcast, in which it is impossible to confirmcharacter information of the received electronic mail. Therefore, inorder to confirm character information of an electronic mail, anapplication needs to be started to browse an electronic mail whileinterrupting viewing of a television broadcast, leaving problems in suchthat a user is not allowed to browse through character information of anelectronic mail while viewing a television broadcast.

The present invention was achieved in view of the above problems, and anobject thereof is to provide a mobile phone which allows a user tocontinuously watch a television broadcast even if there is a call fromthe other party phone. Another object of the present invention is toprovide a mobile phone in which conveniences can be improved. Yetanother object of the present invention is to provide a mobile phone forreducing troublesome operations. A further object of the presentinvention is to provide a mobile phone which is capable of realizingefficient reduction of power consumption. The present invention also hasan object to provide a mobile phone for improving conveniences whenthere is a call from the other party phone while viewing a televisionbroadcast. The present invention has another object to provide a mobilephone which is capable of browsing through character information of anelectric mail received while viewing a television broadcast.

Means Adapted to Solve the Problem

A mobile phone according to a first aspect of the present inventionincludes: television broadcast reception means adapted to receive atelevision broadcast wave; television output means adapted to display atelevision image on a display screen and to output television audiocorresponding to the television image on the basis of received thetelevision broadcast wave; radio communication means adapted totransmit/receive a call signal and a response signal; and incoming callresponse means adapted to generate the response signal and to establisha communication state on the basis of a user operation in a periodanswerable to the call signal, wherein the television output meansincludes: volume reduction means adapted to reduce a volume oftelevision audio corresponding to the television image while maintainingdisplay of the television image on the display screen when the callsignal is received in a state of displaying the television image on thedisplay screen; and character information display means adapted toextract character information corresponding to the television image fromthe television broadcast wave and to display the character informationon the display screen when the volume reduction means reduces televisionaudio corresponding to the television image.

According to such a structure, if there is a call from the other partyphone in a state of displaying the television image on the displayscreen, communication can be made with the other party phone by reducingthe volume of the television audio corresponding to the television imagewhile maintaining display of the television image on the display screen.At this time, the character information such as caption corresponding tothe television image can be displayed on the display screen, whichallows a user to continuously watch the television broadcast based onthe television image and the character information while communicatingwith the other party phone.

A mobile phone of a second aspect of the present invention includes: acase having the display screen created on a case face; first audiooutput means for use in a state of putting the case face on a user'sear; second audio output means for use in a state of keeping the caseface away from the user's ear; and output selection means adapted tooutput voice from the other party phone by selecting the same audiooutput means used to output the television audio until then in the caseof reducing a volume of the television audio corresponding to thetelevision image by the volume reduction means.

If there is a call from the other party phone in a state of displayingthe television image on the display screen, such a structure makes itpossible to output voice from the other party phone by using the audiooutput means outputting the television audio at that time. Accordingly,an operation to switch the audio output means is not required to realizecommunication with the other party phone, and communication can becontinuously made by the using audio output means which has been useduntil then, where conveniences are enhanced.

A mobile phone of a third aspect of the present invention is structuredso that the television output means has image display stop means adaptedto stop display of the television image on the display screen in thecase of carrying out an operation to use the first audio output means tooutput voice from the other party phone when the second audio outputmeans outputs the voice while maintaining display of the televisionimage on the display screen.

Such a structure makes it possible to stop displaying the televisionimage on the display screen on the basis of a user operation foroutputting the voice by the first audio output means when the userwatches the television image displayed on the display screen whileoutputting the voice from the other party phone by the second audiooutput means. Since the user has to put the ear to the case face for atelephone call, it becomes impossible to see the display screen, whenthe operation for outputting the voice by the first audio output meansis performed, so that power consumption can be efficiently reduced bystopping the display of the television image automatically.

A mobile phone of a fourth aspect of the present invention includesrecording means adapted to record subsequent television image on thebasis of the television broadcast wave when the image display stop meansstops displaying the television image.

Such a structure can enhance conveniences because the televisionbroadcast interrupted to view due to stopped display on the displayscreen is recorded to allow the user to watch the television broadcastlater.

A mobile phone of a fifth aspect of the present invention includes holdswitching means adapted to switch to a holding state in which an outputof communication voice to the other party phone is stopped in anestablished communication state, wherein the television output means hasvolume increase means adapted to increase a volume of the televisionaudio when the holding switching means is used for switching to aholding state while the television image is displayed on the displayscreen in a reduced volume of the television audio.

According to such a structure, television audio can be temporarily heardby increasing a volume of the television audio in a holding state when auser desires to listen to television audio by judging from contents ofthe television image during communication with the other party phonewhile maintaining display of the television image on the display screenin a reduced volume of the television audio, so that conveniencesimprove further.

A mobile phone of a sixth aspect of the present invention includes: adisplay case having a rectangular display screen created on a case face;audio output means arranged within the display case on one end side of alongitudinal direction on the display screen and used in a state ofputting the case face on the user's ear; holding means adapted torotatably hold the display case within a face of horizontally disposingthe display screen so that the display screen should be in alongitudinally extended state and a laterally extended state; rotationaloperation detection means adapted to detect a rotational operation ofthe display case by the user; television broadcast reception meansadapted to receive television broadcast waves; television image displaymeans adapted to cause the display screen to display television imagegenerated on the basis of received television broadcast wave and rotatedin accordance with the rotation operation; radio communication meansadapted to transmit/receive a call signal and a response signal; andincoming call response means adapted to generate a response signal andto establish a communication state in a period answerable to the callsignal on the basis of a rotational operation to make a transition ofthe display screen displaying the television image from a laterallyextended state to a longitudinally extended state.

Such a structure makes it possible to answer a call by simply rotatingthe display case from the laterally extended state to the longitudinallyextended state when the call signal is received in a state of displayinga television image on the display screen by setting the display case tothe laterally extended state. Accordingly, if there is a call from theother party phone while viewing a television broadcast, the user isallowed to answer the call by simply rotating the display case, in whichan operation to rotate the display case and an operation to answer thecall are not both required and troublesome operations can be reduced.

A mobile phone of a seventh aspect of the present invention isconfigured so that the television image display means has image displaystop means adapted to stop display of the television image on thedisplay screen when the incoming call response means establishes thecommunication state.

Such a structure makes it possible to stop displaying the televisionimage on the display screen on the basis of an operation to answer acall from the other party phone by rotating the display case. If theuser answers a call by rotating the display case from the laterallyextended state to the longitudinally extended state, the user has to putthe case face of the display case on the ear to communicate, whichprevents the user from seeing the display screen, so that powerconsumption can be efficiently reduced by stopping the display of thetelevision image automatically.

A mobile phone of an eighth aspect of the present invention includesrecording means adapted to record subsequent television image based onthe television broadcast wave when the image display stop means stopsdisplaying the television image.

According to such a structure, the television broadcast which wasinterrupted to view by stopped display on the display screen is recordedto allow the user to watch the television broadcast later. Accordingly,even if there is a call from the other party phone while viewing thetelevision broadcast, the user is capable of answering the call tocommunicate without hesitation because of a relief knowing that thesubsequent television broadcast is automatically recorded. Therefore,conveniences can be enhanced in the case of having a call from the otherparty phone while viewing a television broadcast.

A mobile phone of a ninth aspect of the present invention is structuredso that the television image display means includes first image rotationmeans adapted to rotate display of a television image on the displayscreen at 90 degrees on the basis of a rotational operation to make atransition of the display screen displaying the television image fromthe laterally extended state to the longitudinally extended state whenit is not in a period answerable to the call signal.

Such a structure makes it possible to adjust a direction of thetelevision image to a rotational position by rotating the display of thetelevision image on the display screen at 90 degrees in the case ofrotating the display case from the laterally extended state to thelongitudinally extended state while displaying the television image onthe display screen when it is not in a period answerable to a callsignal.

A mobile phone of a tenth aspect of the present invention is structuredso that the television image display means has character informationdisplay means which displays the television image and characterinformation extracted from the television broadcast wave to correspondto the television image on the display screen disposed in thelongitudinally extended state.

Such a structure makes it possible to display character information suchas caption corresponding to the television image in an open spacecreated on the display screen resulting from a difference between aratio of longitudinal and lateral lengths of the display screen and anaspect ratio of the television image. Accordingly, if the user desiresto display character information, the character information can bedisplayed by simply rotating the display case to reach thelongitudinally extended state, where conveniences can be furtherenhanced.

A mobile phone of an eleventh aspect of the present invention isstructured so that the television image display means has image displaystart means adapted to cause the display screen to start displaying thetelevision image on the basis of a rotational operation to make atransition of the display screen displaying no television image from thelongitudinally extended state to the laterally extended state.

Such a structure makes it possible to automatically display thetelevision image on the display screen by simply rotating the displaycase from the longitudinally extended state to the laterally extendedstate. Accordingly, when the user tries to view the televisionbroadcast, an operation to rotate the display case and an operation tostart displaying a television image are not both required, in whichtroublesome operations can be reduced.

A mobile phone of a twelfth aspect of the present invention isstructured so that the television image display means has second imagerotation means adapted to rotate display of the television image on thedisplay screen at 90 degrees on the basis of a rotational operation tomake a transition of the display screen displaying the television imagefrom the longitudinally extended state to the laterally extended state.

Such a structure makes it possible to adjust a direction of thetelevision image to the rotational position by rotating display of thetelevision image on the display screen at 90 degrees when the displaycase is rotated from the longitudinally extended state to the laterallyextended state while displaying the television image on the displayscreen.

A mobile phone of a thirteenth aspect of the present invention includes:television broadcast reception means adapted to receive a televisionbroadcast wave; television image display means adapted to displaytelevision image on the display screen on the basis of the receivedtelevision broadcast wave; electronic mail reception means adapted toreceive an electronic mail made of character information from a basestation; scroll display means adapted to provide scroll display so thatthe character information of the electronic mail moves on the displayscreen as time elapses when the electronic mail is received in a statethat the television image display means displays the television image onthe display screen; and application start means adapted to start anapplication to browse through character information of the receivedelectronic mail or an application to create an electronic mail on thebasis of an operation made by a user after the scroll display starts.

According to such a structure, when the electronic mail is received in astate of displaying the television image on the display screen, thecharacter information of the received electronic mail can be subjectedto the scroll display on the display screen while maintaining display ofthe television image, whereby the user is allowed to browse throughcharacter information of the received electronic mail while viewing thetelevision broadcast. The scroll display of the character information ofthe received electronic mail on the display screen makes it possible todisplay full text of the electronic mail while securing a space todisplay the television image.

Accordingly, if the user confirms the character information of thereceived electronic mail in the scroll display while viewing thetelevision broadcast and desires to immediately browse through full textof the mail or to create a reply electronic mail, the user carries outan operation to start an application. In contrast, if the user desiresto give priority to view the television broadcast, the user may view thetelevision broadcast without carrying out the aforementioned operationat that time and start the application later.

A mobile phone of a fourteenth aspect of the present invention isstructured so that the application start means has mail browsingapplication start means which starts an application to browse throughcharacter information other than the character information alreadysubjected to the scroll display on the display screen when saidoperation is carried out by the user prior to scroll display of entirecharacter information of the received electronic mail on the displayscreen.

According to such a structure, if the user desires to immediately browsethrough full text of the received electronic mail in the middle ofconfirming character information thereof in the scroll display whileviewing the television broadcast, the user carries out an operation tostart an application for browsing through the character informationother than the character information already subjected to the scrolldisplay on the display screen prior to scroll display of entirecharacter information of the received electronic mail on the displayscreen. This application is started to allow the user to browse throughthe character information other than the character information alreadysubjected to the scroll display on the display screen, which makes itpossible to browse full text of a received electronic mail in minimumdisplay.

A mobile phone of a fifteenth aspect of the present invention isstructured so that the application start means has mail creatingapplication start means which starts an application to create a replyelectronic mail to the received electronic mail when said operation iscarried out by the user within a fixed period of time after entirecharacter information of the received electronic mail is subjected tothe scroll display on the display screen.

According to such a structure, if the user desires to create a replyelectronic mail to the received electronic mail after confirmingcharacter information of the received electronic mail in the scrolldisplay while viewing the television broadcast, the user carries out anoperation within a fixed period of time after finishing scroll displayso as to start an application to create a reply electronic mail.Accordingly, an operation to specify a mail address of a transmittingdestination can be omitted, and a reply electronic mail can be easilytransmitted.

A mobile phone of a sixteenth aspect of the present invention includes:a display case created with a rectangular display screen; holding meansadapted to rotatably hold the display case within a face of horizontallydisposing the display screen so that the display screen should be in thelongitudinally extended state and the laterally extended state; androtational operation detection means adapted to detect a rotationaloperation of the display case made by the user, wherein the televisionimage display means causes the display screen to display the televisionimage rotated in accordance with the rotational operation, and theapplication start means starts an application on the basis of arotational operation to make a transition of the display screen from thelaterally extended state to the longitudinally extended state.

Such a structure makes it possible to start the application for browsingthrough the character information of the received electronic mail or theapplication for creating the electronic mail on the basis of theoperation to rotate the display case from the laterally extended stateto the longitudinally extended state.

A mobile phone of a seventeenth aspect of the present invention isstructured so that the television image display means continuouslydisplays the television image on one side of a longitudinal direction onthe display screen disposed in the longitudinally extended state afterthe application start means starts the application, and the applicationstart means displays a screen for browsing or creating an electronicmail on the other side of the longitudinal direction on the displayscreen.

Such a structure allows a laterally extended the television image to bedisplayed on one side of the longitudinal direction on the displayscreen disposed in the longitudinally extended state while displayingthe screen for browsing or creating an electronic mail in an open spacecreated accordingly on the other end side of the longitudinal directionon the display screen.

Effects of the Invention

According to the present invention, in a case of having a call from theother party phone while displaying the television images on the displayscreen, communication with the other party phone can be made by reducinga volume of television audio corresponding to the television image whilemaintaining display of the television image on the display screen, wherethe character information such as caption corresponding to thetelevision image can be displayed on the display screen, so that theuser is allowed to continuously watch the television broadcast on thebasis of the television image and the character information duringcommunication with the other party phone.

In receiving a call from the other party phone while displaying thetelevision image on the display screen, the present invention also makesit possible to make communication by continuously using the audio outputmeans which has been used until then, where conveniences can beenhanced. Moreover, if the user desires to listen to television audio byjudging from contents of the television image when communication is madewith the other party phone with a reduced volume of the television audiowhile maintaining display of the television image on the display screen,it is possible to temporarily listen to the television audio byincreasing a volume of the television audio in a holding state, so thatconveniences can be further enhanced.

Furthermore, in the case of having a call from the other party phonewhile viewing the television broadcast, the present invention allows theuser to answer to the call by simply rotating the display case, wherethe operation to rotate the display case and the operation to answer thecall are not both required, so that troublesome operations can bereduced.

The present invention also enables efficient reduction of powerconsumption by automatically stopping display of the television image onthe display screen on the basis of an operation to answer the call fromthe other party phone by rotating the display case.

In addition, the present invention makes it possible to record thetelevision broadcast which was interrupted to view due to stoppeddisplay on the display screen, so as to allow the user to watch thetelevision broadcast later, where conveniences can be enhanced in thecase of having a call from the other party phone while viewing thetelevision broadcast.

Moreover, according to the present invention, in receiving theelectronic mail while displaying the television image on the displayscreen, the character information of the received electronic mail can besubjected to the scroll display on the display screen while maintainingdisplay of the television image, whereby the user is allowed to browsethrough the character information of the received electronic mail whileviewing the television broadcast.

If the user desires to immediately browse through full text of thereceived electronic mail in the middle of confirming characterinformation thereof in the scroll display while viewing the televisionbroadcast, the user carries out an operation prior to the scroll displayof entire character information of the electronic mail on the displayscreen, whereby it is made possible to browse through the characterinformation other than the character information already subjected tothe scroll display on the display screen.

Meanwhile, if the user desires to create the reply electronic mail tothe received electronic mail after confirming the character informationof the received electronic mail in the scroll display while viewing thetelevision broadcast, the user carries out an operation within a fixedperiod of time after finishing the scroll display, whereby anapplication can be started to create a reply electronic mail.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a mobile phone 1according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a state thatcases are closed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mobile phone 1 ofFIG. 1 in a state that the cases are expanded. The mobile phone 1 is aso-called folding-type mobile phone having a rectangular display case 2connected to a rectangular operation case 5 via a hinge part 3, wherethe display case 2 and the operation case 5 can be folded by opposingcase faces thereof from one other.

The display case 2 has a main display part 2 a and a receiver 8 whichare arranged in an internal face opposing the operation case 5 in afolded state. The main display part 2 a is formed into a rectangularshape having a longitudinal direction which is arranged to be consistentwith a longitudinal direction of the display case 2. The receiver 8 isarranged on an edge of the display case 2 on a side opposite to thehinge part 3.

The operation case 5 has a number of operation keys 4 and a transmittingmicrophone 7 which are arranged in an internal face opposing the displaycase 2 in a folded state. The transmitting microphone 7 is arranged onthe edge of the operation case 5 on the side opposite to the hinge part3.

Such the folding-type mobile phone 1 can be carried in a compactlyfolded state. And such the folding-type mobile phone 1 can depress andoperate the operation keys 4 while looking at the display on the maindisplay part 2 a, if cases are developed. Moreover, the mobile phone 1realizes satisfactory communication by setting the main display part 2 ainto a longitudinal state so as to put the internal face of the displaycase 2 on a user's ear while moving the transmitting microphone 7 closeto a user's mouth and moving the receiver 8 close to the ear, as shownin FIG. 2.

That is, in order to transmit and receive voices in better quality, itis preferable that the transmitting microphone 7 is disposed close to auser's mouth and the receiver 8 is disposed close to the user's ear, andtherefore the transmitting microphone 7 needs to be separated from thereceiver 8 to some extent. In the mobile phone 1 according to thepresent embodiment, the transmitting microphone 7 is arranged on an edgeof the operation case 5 on a side opposite to the hinge part 3, and thereceiver 8 is arranged on an edge of the display case 2 on a sideopposite to the hinge part 3, whereby a distance between transmittingmicrophone 7 and the receiver 8 can be ensured in a longitudinallyextended state.

The hinge part 3 is structured so that a joint part 3 a which isrotatably connected to the operation case 5 is integrally formed with aholding part 3 b for holding the display case 2 opposite to an externalface of the display case 2. The joint part 3 a is made of twocylindrical bodies created to be separated from one another with a fixedinterval and protrude in one edge of the holding part 3 b. A cylindricalbody 6 is created to extend in a widthwise direction in one edge of theoperation case 5 in an internal face of the longitudinal direction, andthe cylindrical body 6 is arranged between two of the joint parts 3 a onthe same axis line and rotatably mounted from one another, whereby thehinge part 3 is rotatably connected to the operation case 5.

The holding part 3 b is formed into a rectangular plate shape andopposes about a half of the external face of the display case 2 on thehinge part 3 side when the main display part 2 a should be in alongitudinal state. The holding part 3 b rotatably holds the displaycase 2 within a face of horizontally disposing the main display part 2a, where the display case 2 can be rotated in a state that an inclinedangle is held to the operation case 5. On an external face of theholding part 3 b on a side opposite to the display case 2, there isarranged a sub-display part 11 to display contents mainly in a state ofclosing the cases.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state of rotating the displaycase 2 of the mobile phone 1 of FIG. 2, where clockwise rotation fromthe state of FIG. 2 at about 45 degrees is exhibited when it is seenfrom the front surface. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state ofrotating the display case 2 of the mobile phone 1 of FIG. 2, whereclockwise rotation from the state of FIG. 2 at 90 degrees is exhibitedwhen it is seen from the front surface. The user rotates the displaycase 2 within a face of horizontally disposing the main display part 2 awhile holding the operation case 5 within an angle range of 90 degrees,whereby the display case 2 can be rotated between the longitudinallyextended state as shown in FIG. 2 and the laterally extended state asshown in FIG. 4.

The mobile phone 1 allows the user to view television broadcasts, inwhich satisfactory television images can be displayed on the maindisplay part 2 a disposed in the laterally extended state which matchesan aspect ratio of the television image by rotating the display case 2from the state of FIG. 2 through the state of FIG. 3 to reach thelaterally extended state of the main display part 2 a as shown in FIG.4. The main display part 2 a is formed into a rectangular shape with aratio of 16:9 between a long side to a short side, and this ratio isconsonant with an aspect ratio of the television images for use intypical the television broadcasts.

In rotating the display case 2 clockwise from the state of FIG. 2,energizing means provided in the holding part 3 b of the hinge part 3causes energizing force to act anticlockwise on the display case 2 untilthe state shown in FIG. 3 is exhibited. Accordingly, the display case 2is maintained in the state of FIG. 2 due to energizing force actinganticlockwise on the display case 2 unless external force has effects.

In contrast, if the display case 2 is further rotated clockwise beyondthe state of FIG. 3, energizing force acting on the display case 2 isswitched to clockwise so as to lock the display case 2 in the state ofFIG. 4. Therefore, the display case 2 is maintained in the state of FIG.4 unless external force has effects.

According to the present embodiment, the display case 2 is rotated byusing a rotational axis which moves along rotation of the display case 2as a center instead of using a rotational axis fixed to a certainposition as a center. Accordingly, even if the display case 2 of thelongitudinally extended state whose one end of a longitudinal directionis disposed adjacent to the operation case 5 as shown in FIG. 2 isrotated at 90 degrees, one end of a widthwise direction of the displaycase 2 is disposed adjacent to the operation case 5 as shown in FIG. 4,so that a user is allowed to view the television broadcasts bydisplaying the television images on the main display part 2 a which iscompactly brought into the laterally extended state.

The user is also allowed to view the television broadcasts by rotatingthe display case 2 from the longitudinally extended state to thelaterally extended state while maintaining the state of holding theoperation case 5 without changing the way of holding the mobile phone 1.At this time, energizing force acting on the display case 2 is used torealize smooth switching of the display case 2 between thelongitudinally extended state and the laterally extended state.

FIGS. 5 to 7 are rear surface views of FIGS. 2 to 4 in the mobile phone1, each showing a perspective structure in the holding part 3 b. FIGS. 8to 10 are front surface views of the hinge part 3 corresponding to FIGS.2 to 4. FIGS. 5 and 8 correspond to the longitudinally extended state ofFIG. 2, whereas FIGS. 6 and 9 correspond to the state of FIG. 3 in whichthe display case 2 is rotated at about 45 degrees, while FIGS. 7 and 10correspond to the laterally extended state of FIG. 4.

A holding plate 16 of a rectangular shape is arranged in the holdingpart 3 b, and the holding plate 16 rotatably holds the display case 2.The holding plate 16 includes an arc hole 12 extending along an arc in alateral direction and a linear hole 14 extending linearly in alongitudinal direction. A top corner in the center of the arc hole 12 isdisposed adjacent to one end of the linear hole 14, and the linear hole14 extends in a normal line direction in the top corner.

The arc hole 12 and the linear hole 14 are rotatably engaged with asliding axis 13 and a rotational axis 15 respectively which are formedon a rear surface side of the display case 2. The sliding axis 13 andthe rotational axis 15 are integrally formed in an axis holding member18 fixed to a rear surface of the display case 2, being arranged inpositions displaced from one another with a fixed interval from thecenter of the display case 2. The axis holding member 18 is engaged withthe holding plate 16 in the holding part 13 via an opening 3 d createdin front of the holding part 3 b.

The axis holding member 18 is fixed to the holding plate 16 via atorsion coil spring 20 which is provided as an example of a spring beingenergizing means. The torsion coil spring 20 has one end engaged withthe sliding axis 13 of the axis holding member 18, and the other endengaged with a mounting axis 19 created in the holding plate 16. Themounting axis 19 is rotatably arranged on a normal line with respect tothe top corner of the arc hole 12. The display case 2 has a flexiblesubstrate 21 which extends from the hinge part 3 side and whose endportion is mounted in the vicinity of the rotational axis 15, wherebythe display case 2 and the operation case 5 are electrically connectedvia the flexible substrate 21.

In the longitudinally extended state as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, therotational axis 15 is connected to a lower edge of the linear hole 14,and the sliding axis 13 is connected to one end of the arc hole 12. Inthis state, the sliding axis 13 is urged to one end side of the arc hole12 by the torsion coil spring 20, where the display case 2 is maintainedin this state unless external force has effects.

If the display case 2 is rotated from this state with respect to thehinge part 3, the rotational axis 15 moves upward along the linear hole14, and the sliding axis 13 moves to the other end along the arc hole12. At this time, the torsion coil spring 20 is also rotated by usingthe mounting axis 19 as a center, and a distance between one end and theother end of the torsion coil spring 20 is made shorter so as to beproximal from one another. In a state where the display case 2 isrotated at about 45 degrees as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, the rotationalaxis 15 is connected to an upper end of the linear hole 14, and thesliding axis 13 reaches the top corner of the arc hole 12.

One end and the other end of the torsion coil spring 20 are disposedmost proximally in this state, and if the display case 2 is furtherrotated, left and right positions of the sliding axis 13 and themounting axis 19 are reversed and one end of the torsion coil spring 20is separated from the other end thereof again. Accordingly, rotation ofthe display case 2 beyond the rotational position as shown in FIGS. 6and 9 is followed by further rotation of the display case 2 byenergizing force of the torsion coil spring 20 so as to reach thelaterally extended state as shown in FIGS. 7 and 10.

When the display case 2 falls in the laterally extended state, therotational axis 15 is connected to a lower end of the linear hole 14,and the sliding axis 13 is connected to the other end of the arc hole12. In this state, the sliding axis 13 is urged to the other end side ofthe arc hole 12 by the torsion coil spring 20, where the display case 20is maintained in this state unless external force has effects.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical structureof the mobile phone 1. The mobile phone 1 is provided with a speaker 9,an external input/output terminal 10, a communication part 23, atelevision broadcast reception part 24, and a rotational positiondetection part 25 in addition to the aforementioned main display part 2a, sub-display part 11, receiver 8, transmitting microphone 7, andoperation keys 4, wherein these operations are controlled by a controlpart 30 made of a processor.

The speaker 9 is provided so that the user is allowed to listen to voicein a state of keeping the display case 2 away from the ear by outputtingthe voice which is amplified in comparison with the case of outputtingthe voice from the receiver 8. If the external input/output device 26such as an earphone microphone is connected to the external outputterminal 10, voice input/output is realized via the externalinput/output device 26. The receiver 8, the speaker 9 and the externalinput/output terminal 10 constitute voice output means.

The speaker 9 and the external input/output terminal 10 here are used ina state that the user keeps the internal face of the display case 2 awayfrom the ear, as opposed to the receiver 8 which is used in a state thatthe user puts the internal face of the display case 2 on the ear.Accordingly, display of the television images or other images on themain display part 2 a can be seen when the speaker 9 or the externalinput/output terminal 10 is used, but it cannot be seen when thereceiver 8 is used.

If the user communicates with the other party phone by using the speaker9, voice from the phone of the other party phone is amplified andoutputted from the speaker 9 while input signals from the transmittingmicrophone 7 are amplified, whereby so-called hands-free communicationcan be made without holding the mobile phone 1. At this time, inputsignals from the transmitting microphone 7 are inputted to acancellation circuit so as to prevent howling. Switching between normalcommunication made by the receiver 8 and hands-free communication isrealized by operating the operation keys 4.

A connection terminal of the external input/output device 26 can beattached to or detached from the external input/output terminal 10, inwhich normal communication made by the receiver 8 and communication madeby the external input/output device 26 can be switched on the basis ofattachment/detachment of the connection terminal. That is, the normalcommunication can be switched to the communication made by the externalinput/output device 26 by mounting the connection terminal of theexternal input/output device 26 to the external input/output terminal10, whereas returning to normal communication made by the receiver 8 canbe realized by detaching the connection terminal of the externalinput/output device 26 from the external input/output terminal 10.

In the communication part 23, communication voices aretransmitted/received by transmitting/receiving radio waves to/from abase station via a communication antenna 23 a. When the communicationstate is established with the other party phone, the voice signal basedon communication voice of the user is transmitted from the communicationpart 23, and a voice signal based on the communication voice from theother party phone is received in the communication part 23, whereby thecommunication voices can be transmitted/received in real time.

The television broadcast reception part 24 is provided to receive thetelevision broadcast waves transmitted from television stations via atelevision broadcast reception antenna 24 a. Television broadcast wavestransmitted from the television stations include analog broadcast wavescorresponding to analog broadcasts and digital broadcast wavescorresponding to digital broadcasts. Digital broadcast waves received bythe television broadcast reception part 24 are one-segment broadcastwaves allocated to a fixed bandwidth of typical digital high-visionbroadcast waves for use in mobile phones, including the televisionimages, the television voice and additional character information suchas caption and associated articles corresponding to the televisionimages.

On the basis of the television broadcast waves received by thetelevision broadcast reception part 24, television images are displayedon the main display part 2 a while television audio corresponding to thetelevision image is outputted from the speaker 9 or the externalinput/output terminal 10, whereby the user is allowed to view thetelevision broadcasts. Character information included in the televisionbroadcasts are extracted and displayed on the main display part 2 a soas to display character information such as caption along the televisionimage.

The rotational position detection part 25 is constituted by a mechanicalor electrical switch, for example, and detects a rotational position ofthe display case 2. This rotational position detection part 25 isrotational operation detection means to detect a rotational operation ofthe display case 2 by the user.

In an established communication state, the operation keys 4 include aholding button 4 a for providing a holding state by stopping an outputof communication voice to the other party phone. When the user operatesthe holding button 4 a in the established communication state, user'svoice cannot be heard in the other party phone and holding tone such asmusic is heard in the other party phone on the basis of an output signalsent from the mobile phone 1 to the other party phone.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram to explain an operation when a signal isreceived in the communication part 23 and the television broadcastreception part 24. In the present embodiment, the control part 30executes a program process so as to cause an incoming call process part31, a response part 32, a recording part 33, a television output part 34and an output selection part 39 to function.

When a call signal from the other party phone was received in thecommunication part 23, the incoming call process part 31 executes anincoming call process in order to allow the user to answer the call byan off-hook operation. During an incoming call process, ringtone isnormally outputted from the speaker 9 to notify the user of calling fromthe other party phone. The incoming call process is continued untilcalling from the other party phone is discontinued or the user carriesout the off-hook operation.

The off-hook operation here includes any kinds of operations made by theuser to answer a call from the other party phone, and may be, forexample, an operation by the operation keys 4 or an operation to rotatethe display case 2 from the laterally extended state to thelongitudinally extended state during the incoming call process.

If the user answers a call from the other party phone by carrying outthe off-hook operation during an incoming call process, thecommunication part 23 a transmits a response signal to the other partyphone so as to establish a communication state, whereby thecommunication voices can be transmitted to or received from the otherparty phone. In the established communication state, the voice from theother party phone is outputted from any one selected among the receiver8, the speaker 9 and the external input/output device 26 connected tothe external input/output terminal 10. Selection among the receiver 8,the speaker 9 and the external input/output device 26 connected to theexternal input/output terminal 10 is made by the output selection part39 so as to output the voice from the other party phone.

When the television broadcast wave is received in the televisionbroadcast reception part 24, a signal indicating the television image,television audio and character information based on the televisionbroadcast wave is inputted to the television output part 34 via therecording part 33. The recording part 33 records the television images,the television audio and the character information or the like in amemory (not shown) as needed on the basis of the television broadcastwaves received in the television broadcast reception part 24, wherebythe television broadcasts can be recorded.

The television output part 34 includes a television image display part35 and a television audio output part 36. The television image displaypart 35 causes the main display part 2 a to display the televisionimages and the character information based on the television broadcastwaves, including an image rotation part 37 for rotating images displayedon the main display part 2 a and a character information display part 38for extracting character information included in the televisionbroadcast waves and causing the main display part 2 a to display thecharacter information. The television audio output part 36 outputs thetelevision audio based on the television broadcast waves to the speaker9 or the external input/output device 26 connected to the externalinput/output terminal 10.

The image rotation part 37 rotates a image to display on the maindisplay part 2 a on the basis of an input signal from the rotationalposition detection part 25 when the television broadcast wave isreceived in the television broadcast reception part 24. That is, if astate of the display case 2 is switched from the longitudinally extendedstate to the laterally extended state while the television broadcastwave is being received, the television images are displayed on the maindisplay part 2 a of the laterally extended state by setting a widthwisedirection thereof as a vertical direction. If a state of the displaycase 2 is switched from the laterally extended state to thelongitudinally extended state, the television images are displayed onthe main display part 2 a of the longitudinally extended state bysetting a longitudinal direction thereof as a vertical direction.Therefore, the direction of the television image can be adjusted to therotational position.

Signals from the response part 32 are inputted to the recording part 33and the television output part 34. Signals are also inputted to thetelevision audio output part 36 on the basis of reception of callsignals received in the communication part 23 and the operation of theholding button 4 a.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are flowcharts showing an example of a process to answera call from the other party phone while receiving the televisionbroadcast waves. If the television broadcast wave is received in thetelevision broadcast reception part 24 (Yes in step S101 of FIG. 13),and if a call signal is received from the other party phone (Yes in stepS102), the television audio output part 36 stops outputting thetelevision audio outputted at that time (step S103). Therefore, thetelevision audio corresponding to the television image based on thetelevision broadcast wave cannot be heard while the display of thetelevision image is maintained on the main display part 2 a.

At this time, the character information display part 38 extracts thecharacter information included in the television broadcast wave andcauses the main display part 2 a to display caption corresponding to thetelevision image (step S104). The incoming call process part 31 executesan incoming call process in a state of thus stopping output of thetelevision audio (step S105), whereby it is made easier for the user tolisten to ringtone outputted on the basis of the incoming call process.

Ringtone based on the incoming call process is outputted from audiooutput means used at that time. That is, the ringtone is outputted fromthe speaker 9 if the user views the television broadcasts by outputtingtelevision audio from the speaker 9, whereas the ringtone is outputtedfrom the external input/output device 26 if the user views thetelevision broadcast by outputting the television audio from theexternal input/output device 26 connected to the external input/outputterminal 10. Moreover, if the ringtone is set so as not to be outputtedat the time of the incoming call process, the user may be notified ofcalling from the other party phone by vibration made by a vibrationdevice (not shown) provided in the mobile phone 1 and display on themain display part 2 a or other methods.

Thereafter, if the user answers a call from the other party phone by anoff-hook operation (Yes in step S106), a communication state isestablished to output voice from the other party phone after selectingthe same audio output means for use in outputting television audio inthe output selection part 39.

Therefore, the voice from the other party phone is outputted from thespeaker 9 if the user views the television broadcasts by outputtingtelevision audio from the speaker 9, whereas voice from the other partyphone is outputted from the external input/output device 26 connected tothe external input/output terminal 10 if the user views the televisionbroadcasts by outputting television audio from the external input/outputdevice 26. Accordingly, if the ringtone is outputted during the incomingcall process, the voice is outputted from the same audio output meansfor use in outputting the ringtone.

If there is a call from the other party phone in the state of displayingthe television images on the main display part 2 a in the presentembodiment, communication can be made with the other party phone bystopping output of the television audio corresponding to the televisionimages while display of the television images are maintained on the maindisplay part 2 a. Since the captions corresponding to the televisionimages can be displayed on the main display part 2 a at this time, theuser is allowed to continuously watch the television broadcasts based onthe television images and captions while communicating with the otherparty phone.

Moreover, if there is a call from the other party phone in the state ofdisplaying the television images on the main display part 2 a, the voicefrom the other party phone can be outputted by using the audio outputmeans outputting the television audio at that time. Accordingly, it isnot necessary to switch the audio output means so as to communicate withthe other party phone, and communication can be made by continuouslyusing audio output means which has been used until then, whereconveniences can be enhanced.

In an established communication state in which the speaker 9 or theexternal input/output device 26 connected to the external input/outputterminal 10 is selected as stated above, the user is allowed to switchthe voice output from the other party phone to the receiver 8 bycarrying out a predetermined operation.

Such a switching operation can be made by, for example, operating theoperation keys 4 in a state of outputting the voice from the speaker 9,or by the operation to remove the connection terminal of the externalinput/output device 26 from the external input/output terminal 10 in astate of outputting voice from the external input/output device 26.Voice output from the other party phone may also be switched to thereceiver 8 on the basis of the operation to rotate the display case 2from the laterally extended state to the longitudinally extended state.

If the voice output from the other party phone is switched to thereceiver 8 (Yes in step S108), the television image display part 35stops displaying the television images on the main display part 2 a(step 109) while the recording part 33 records the television broadcastsby recording the television images and the television audio based on asubsequent television broadcast wave (step S110).

On the basis of the operation to output the voice from the receiver 8when the user watches a television image displayed on the main displaypart 2 a while outputting the voice from the other party phone by thespeaker 9 or the external output/input device 26 as stated above, thedisplay of the television image can be stopped on the main display part2 a. If the operation to output the voice from the receiver 8 wascarried out, the user is required to put the internal face of thedisplay case 2 on the ear in order to communicate, it becomes impossibleto see the main display part 2 a by the user, so that display of thetelevision images is automatically stopped to realize efficientreduction of power consumption.

Moreover, the television broadcasts which were interrupted to view dueto stopped display on the main display part 2 a can be recorded so as toallow the user to watch the television broadcasts later, wherebyconveniences can be improved.

Meanwhile, if the holding button 4 a was operated in the establishedcommunication state to produce an input signal which is notified to theresponse part 32 for providing a holding state by stopping the voiceoutput to the other party phone (No in step S108 of FIG. 13, Yes in stepS201 of FIG. 14), the television audio output part 36 outputs thetelevision audio corresponding to the television images displayed on themain display part 2 a at that time (step S202). At this time, thetelevision audio is outputted from the same audio output means beingeither the speaker 9 or the external input/output device 26 for use inoutputting the voice from the other party phone.

While the television audio corresponding to the television images arethus outputted during the holding state, if the holding state isreleased by operating the holding button 4 a again (Yes in step S203),the television audio output part 36 stops outputting the televisionaudio again (step S204). Accordingly, when the user communicates withthe other party phone by stopping output of the television audio whiledisplaying the television images on the main display part 2 a, and ifthe user desires to listen to the television audio by judging fromcontent of the television images, the television audio can betemporarily heard by setting the holding state to output the televisionaudio, where conveniences can be further enhanced.

Although explanation was made in the present embodiment for thestructure in such that the television audio output part 36 completelystops outputting the television audio if there is a call from the otherparty phone while receiving the television broadcast waves, such astructure is not limited and a structure to reduce a volume of thetelevision audio to an extent in which communication is not interruptedmay be provided.

Explanation was also made in the present embodiment for the mobile phone1 in which the display case 2 is rotatable within a face of horizontallydisposing the main display part 2 a, but the present invention is notlimited to such a mobile phone 1 and it is applicable to a mobile phonestructured to have the display case 2 which cannot be rotated within aface of horizontally disposing the main display part 2 a.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical structureof the mobile phone 1 according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention. The mobile phone 1 is provided with the main display part 2a, the sub-display part 11, the receiver 8, the transmitting microphone7, the operation keys 4, the speaker 9, the external input/outputterminal 10, the communication part 23, the television broadcastreception part 24, and the rotational position detection part 25 in thesame manner with the first embodiment, where these operations arecontrolled by the control part 30 made of a processor. The mobile phone1 also has a structure similar to that of the first embodiment as shownin FIGS. 1 to 10. Explanation of the structure similar to that of thefirst embodiment will be omitted by providing like reference numbers inthe drawings.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram to explain an operation when a signal isreceived in the communication part 23 and the television broadcastreception part 24. In the present embodiment, the control part 30executes a program process so as to cause an incoming call process part41, a response part 42, a recording part 43 and a television output part44 to function.

If a call signal from the other party phone is received in thecommunication part 23, an incoming call process made by the incomingcall process part 41 allows the user to answer the call by an off-hookoperation. During the incoming call process, ringtone to notify the userof calling from the other party phone is normally outputted from thespeaker 9. The incoming call process is continued until a call from theother party phone is stopped or the user carries out an off-hookoperation. The off-hook operation here includes any kinds of operationsmade by the user to answer a call from the other party phone.

If the user answers a call from the other party phone by carrying out anoff-hook operation during the incoming call process, a communicationstate is established by transmitting a response signal from thecommunication part 23 to the other party phone, whereby communicationvoices can be transmitted to or received from the other party phone. Inthe established communication state, the voice from the other partyphone is outputted from any one selected among the receiver 8, thespeaker 9 and the external input/output device 26 connected to theexternal input/output terminal 10.

If the television broadcast waves are received in the televisionbroadcast reception part 24, signals indicating television images,television audio and character information based on the televisionbroadcast waves are inputted to the television output part 44 via therecording part 43. The recording part 43 records the television images,the television audio and the character information or the like in amemory (not shown) as needed on the basis of the television broadcastwaves received in the television broadcast reception part 24, wherebythe television broadcasts can be recorded.

The television output part 44 includes a television image display part45 and a television audio output part 46. The television image displaypart 45 causes the main display part 2 a to the display televisionimages and the character information based on the television broadcastwaves, including an image rotation part 47 for rotating images displayedon the main display part 2 a and a character information display part 48for extracting the character information included in the televisionbroadcast waves so as to display on the main display part 2 a. Thetelevision audio output part 46 outputs the television audio based onthe television broadcast waves to the speaker 9 or the externalinput/output device 26 connected to the external input/output terminal10. Signals from the response part 42 are inputted to the recording part43 and the television output part 44.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing an example of a laterally extended stateswitching process which is carried out when the display case 2 isswitched from a longitudinally extended state to the laterally extendedstate. If the display case 2 is rotated and the rotational positiondetection part 25 detects switching from the longitudinally extendedstate to the laterally extended state (Yes in step S301), and if thetelevision broadcast waves are received in the television broadcastreception part 24 at that time (Yes in step S302), display of thetelevision images based on the television broadcast waves are rotated at90 degrees by the image rotation part 47 (step S303). Therefore, thetelevision images are displayed by setting a widthwise direction of themain display part 2 a disposed in the laterally extended state as avertical direction, whereby the direction of the television images canbe adjusted to a rotational position.

In contrast, if the television broadcast waves are not received in thetelevision broadcast reception part 24 when the display case 2 isswitched from the longitudinally extended state to the laterallyextended state (No in step S302), reception of the television broadcastwaves are started to output the television images and the televisionaudio based on the television broadcast waves from the television outputpart 44 (step S304). Therefore, the television images can beautomatically displayed on the main display part 2 a by simply rotatingthe display case 2 from the longitudinally extended state to thelaterally extended state. Accordingly, an operation to rotate thedisplay case 2 and an operation to start outputting the television imageand the television audio are not both required, so that troublesomeoperations can be reduced.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an example of the longitudinally extendedstate switching process which is carried out when the display case 2 isswitched from the laterally extended state to the longitudinallyextended state. If the rotational position detection part 25 detectsswitching from the laterally extended state to the longitudinallyextended state when the display case 2 is rotated (Yes in step S401),and if the television broadcast reception part 24 receives thetelevision broadcast waves (Yes in step S402), and if the incoming callprocess part 41 executes an incoming call process (Yes in step S403),the response part 42 answers the call to establish a communication state(step S404). At this time, an operation to switch the display case 2from the laterally extended state to the longitudinally extended stateacts as an off-hook operation made by the user.

Thereafter, on the basis of an input signal from the response part 42,the television output part 44 stops outputting the television images andthe television audio based on the television broadcast waves (stepS405), and the recording part 43 records the television broadcasts byrecording the television images and the television audio based on thetelevision broadcast waves received thereafter in a memory (step S406).

As stated above, if an incoming call process is carried out while thedisplay case 2 is disposed in the laterally extended state to displaythe television images on the main display part 2 a, the user is allowedto answer a call by simply rotating the display case 2 from thelaterally extended state to the longitudinally extended state.Accordingly, if there is a call from the other party phone while viewingthe television broadcasts, the user is allowed to answer the call bysimply rotating the display case 2, where an operation to rotate thedisplay case 2 and an operation to answer the call are not bothrequired, so that troublesome operations can be reduced.

Moreover, an output of the television images and the television audiocan be stopped on the basis of an operation to rotate the display case 2to answer a call from the other party phone. If the user answers a callby rotating the display case 2 from the laterally extended state to thelongitudinally extended state, the user is required to put the internalface of the display case 2 on the ear in order to communicate, itbecomes impossible to see the main display part 2 a, by the user, wherean output of the television images and the television audio areautomatically discontinued to realize efficient reduction of powerconsumption.

It is also made possible to record the television broadcasts which wereinterrupted to view due to stopped output of the television images andthe television audio so as to allow the user to watch the televisionbroadcasts later. Accordingly, even if there is a call from the otherparty phone while viewing the television broadcasts, the user can answerthe call without hesitation because of a relief knowing that subsequenttelevision images are automatically recorded. Therefore, conveniencescan be improved in receiving a call from the other party phone whileviewing the television broadcasts.

Meanwhile, if the television broadcast reception part 24 receives thetelevision broadcast waves when the display case 2 is switched from thelaterally extended state to the longitudinally extended state, and ifthe incoming call process part 41 does not carry out the incoming callprocess (No in step S403), display of the television images based on thetelevision broadcast waves are rotated at 90 degrees by the imagerotation part 47 (step S407). Therefore, the television images aredisplayed by setting a longitudinal direction of the main display part 2a disposed in the longitudinally extended state as a vertical direction,where the direction of the television images can be adjusted to arotational position.

At this time, since the main display part 2 a should be in thelongitudinally extended state as opposed to the laterally extendedaspect ratio of 16:9 in the television images based on the televisionbroadcast waves, there is an open space generated on the display screenof the main display part 2 a if a lateral width of a displayedtelevision image is adjusted to fit in the main display part 2 a.Character information such as caption corresponding to the televisionimage is displayed in this open space by the character informationdisplay part 48 (step S408). Accordingly, if the user desires to displaycharacter information, character information can be displayed by simplyrotating the display case 2 to reach the longitudinally extended state,so that conveniences can be further enhanced.

Explanation was made in the present embodiment for the structure in suchthat the display case 2 is rotated by using the rotational axis whichvertically moves along rotation of the display case 2 as a center,instead of using a rotational axis fixed to a certain position as acenter, but such a structure is not limited and if the present inventionis structured to have the display case 2 rotatable between thelongitudinally extended state and the laterally extended state within aface of horizontally disposing the main display part 2 a, it isapplicable to a mobile phone having the display case 2 which is rotatedby using a fixed rotational axis as a center.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical structureof the mobile phone 1 according to a third embodiment of the presentinvention. This mobile phone 1 is provided with the main display part 2a, the sub-display part 11, the receiver 8, the transmitting microphone7, the operation keys 4, the speaker 9, the external input/outputterminal 10, the communication part 23, the television broadcastreception part 24, and the rotational position detection part 25 in thesame manner with the first embodiment, in addition to a memory 27, wherethese operation are controlled by the control part 30 made of aprocessor. The mobile phone 1 also has a structure similar to that ofthe first embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 to 10. Explanation of thestructure similar to that of the first embodiment will be omitted byproviding like reference numbers in the drawings.

The communication part 23 transmits/receives not only communicationvoices but also electronic mails by transmitting/receiving electricwaves to/from a base station via the communication antenna 23 a. When anelectronic mail is transmitted/received, the communication part 23transmits/receives information such as character information indicatinga subject of an electronic mail and a mail address of a transmittingsource in addition to character information being contents of text ofthe electronic mail. That is, when an electronic mail is transmitted,character information, which includes text and a subject of anelectronic mail created by the user operating the operation keys 4 ofthe mobile phone 1, and mail information such as a mail address on theuser side are transmitted to a phone or a personal computer of acommunication party (communication terminal of a communication partyto/from which these electronic mails can be transmitted/received isreferred to as an “opposite communication terminal” hereinafter). Incontrast, when an electronic mail is received, character informationincluding text and a subject of an electronic mail created in anopposite communication terminal and mail information such as a mailaddress of the opposite communication terminal are received.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram to explain an operation when signals arereceived in the communication part 23 and the television broadcastreception part 24. In the present embodiment, the control part 30executes a program process so as to cause a character informationextraction part 51, a scroll display part 52, an application start part53 and a television output part 54 to function.

When the television broadcast reception part 24 receives the televisionbroadcast waves, signals indicating the television images, thetelevision audio and the character information or the like based on thetelevision waves are inputted to the television output part 54. Thetelevision output part 54 includes a television image display part 55and a television audio output part 56.

The television image display part 55 causes the main display part 2 a todisplay the television images and the character information based on thetelevision broadcast waves, including an image rotation part 57 forrotating images displayed on the main display part 2 a. The televisionaudio output part 56 outputs the television audio based on televisionbroadcast waves to the speaker 9 or the external input/output device 26connected to the external input/output terminal 10.

The image rotation part 57 rotates images displayed on the main displaypart 2 a on the basis of input signals from the rotational positiondetection part 25 when the television broadcast waves are received inthe television broadcast reception part 24. That is, during reception ofthe television broadcast waves, the television images are displayed bysetting a widthwise direction of the main display part 2 a disposed in alaterally extended state as a vertical direction when the display case 2is switched from a longitudinally extended state to a laterally extendedstate, whereas the television images are displayed by setting alongitudinal direction of the main display part 2 a disposed in thelongitudinally extended state as a vertical direction when the displaycase 2 is switched from the laterally extended state to thelongitudinally extended state, whereby a direction of a television imagecan be adjusted to a rotational position.

If the communication part 23 receives an electronic mail from anopposite communication terminal, the memory 27 stores mail informationsuch as text and a subject of the electronic mail and a mail address ofthe opposite communication terminal. At this time, if the main displaypart 2 a should be in the laterally extended state, and if thetelevision output part 54 outputs the television images and thetelevision audio, the character information extraction part 51 extractsthe character information including text of an electronic mail from themail information.

Extracted character information is subjected to the scroll display onthe main display part 2 a by the scroll display part 52. The scrolldisplay here refers to a display embodiment in which characterinformation is displayed so as to move within a fixed area of the maindisplay part 2 a as time elapses, meaning so-called marquee display.That is, the character information including text of an electronic mailis displayed on the main display part 2 a in sequential order from thehead of the sentence and moved to a fixed direction on the main displaypart 2 a, followed by being deleted from the main display part 2 a insequential order from the head of the sentence.

The application start part 53 receives an electronic mail in viewing thetelevision broadcasts on the main display part 2 a disposed in thelaterally extended state, and if the character information includingtext of the electronic mail is subjected to the scroll display on themain display part 2 a, an application is started at timing correspondingto an operation made by the user after the scroll display starts. In thepresent embodiment, said operation made by the user is an operation torotate the display case 3 from the laterally extended state to thelongitudinally extended state, in which a detected signal is inputtedfrom the rotational position detection part 25 to the application startpart 53.

The application start part 53 is consist of a mail browsing applicationstart part 53 a for starting a mail browsing application and a mailcreating application start part 53 b for starting a mail creatingapplication. The mail browsing application is an application forbrowsing the character information including text of received electronicmails. The mail creating application is also an application for creatingreply electronic mails to received electronic mails.

FIG. 21 shows an example of an embodiment in which character informationincluding text of a received electronic mail is subjected to the scrolldisplay on the main display part 2 a by the scroll display part 52 ofFIG. 20. When an electronic mail is received while displaying thetelevision images on the main display part 2 a disposed in the laterallyextended state, the main display part 2 a is divided into a televisionimage display area 2 b and a scroll display area 2 c. The televisionimages which have been displayed on the main display part 2 a until thenis continuously displayed in the television image display area 2 b, andthe character information including text of the received electronic mailis subjected to the scroll display in the scroll display area 2 c.

The scroll display area 2 c is arranged along a long side of the maindisplay part 2 a, i.e. along an upper side or a lower side of the maindisplay part 2 a disposed in the laterally extended state. In theexample of FIG. 21, the scroll display area 2 c is arranged along alower side of the main display part 2 a of the laterally extended state,and configured as a display area for a single line extending linearly ina vertical direction.

The character information including text of the received electronic mailis subjected to the scroll display in the scroll display area 2 c at aspeed to allow the user to read the information from a right edge to aleft edge of the scroll display area 2 c. More specifically, thecharacter information of the head of the sentence is initially displayedon a right edge of the scroll display area 2 c, followed by moving thecharacter information of the head of the sentence leftward as timeelapses, whereby the character information following to the characterinformation of the head of the sentence is displayed on a right edge ofthe scroll display area 2 c sequentially (refer to FIG. 21 a).

Thereafter, when the character information of the head of the sentencemoves to a left edge of the scroll display area 2 c (refer to FIG. 21b), the character information of the head of the sentence disappearsfrom the display in the scroll display area 2 c, whereby subsequentcharacter information is displayed on the left edge of the scrolldisplay area 2 c. The character information following to the characterinformation of the head of the sentence is thus displayed on the leftedge of the scroll display area 2 c and disappears from the displaysequentially, whereby the character information can be displayed to theend of the sentence in the scroll display area 2 c even if the number ofcharacters in text of a received electronic mail is larger than thenumber of characters displayable in the scroll display area 2 c (referto FIG. 21 c).

If the number of characters in text of the received electronic mail islarger than the number of characters displayable in the scroll displayarea 2 c, the character information of the head of the sentencedisappears from the display in the scroll display area 2 c, after whichcharacter information of the end of the sentence is displayed on theright edge of the scroll display area 2 c, and at that point entirecharacter information of full text is displayed in the scroll displayarea 2 c. In contrast, if the number of characters in text of thereceived electronic mail is equal to or less than the number ofcharacters displayable in the scroll display area 2 c, the characterinformation of the end of the sentence is displayed on a right edge ofthe scroll display area 2 c before the character information of the headof the sentence disappears from the display in the scroll display area 2c, and at this point entire character information of text is displayedin the scroll display area 2 c.

If the electronic mail is received in a state that the television imagesare displayed in the main display 2 c, the character informationincluding text of the received electronic mail can be thus subjected tothe scroll display on the main display part 2 a while maintainingdisplay of the television images, whereby the user is allowed to browsethrough the character information including text of the receivedelectronic mail while viewing the television broadcasts. Scroll displayof the character information including text of the received mail on themain display part 2 a allows display of full text of the electronic mailwhile ensuring a space for displaying the television images.

Accordingly, after confirming the character information including textof the received electronic mail by scroll display while viewing atelevision broadcast, and if the user desires to immediately browsethrough full text of the received electronic mail or create a replyelectronic mail, the user carries out an operation to start anapplication. In contrast, if the user desires to give priority to viewthe television broadcasts, the user may keep viewing the televisionbroadcasts without carrying out the aforementioned operation at thatpoint, and start an application later.

FIG. 22 shows an example of an embodiment in which the application startpart 53 starts an application in accordance with an operation made bythe user after starting scroll display. If the user rotates the displaycase 3 from the laterally extended state to the longitudinally extendedstate at predetermined timing after starting scroll display, the maindisplay part 2 a is divided into the television image display area 2 dand the mail display area 2 e.

In the present embodiment, the television image display area 2 d isarranged on an upper side of the main display part 2 a disposed in thelongitudinally extended state and the mail display area 2 e is arrangedon a lower side thereof. Since the television images have a laterallyextended aspect ratio, the television images displayed on an upper sideof the main display part 2 a disposed in the longitudinally extendedstate creates an open space on a lower side thereof, in which the maildisplay area 2 e can be arranged in the open space. It should be notedthat the television image display area 2 d may be arranged on a lowerside and the mail display area 2 e may be arranged on an upper side onthe main display part 2 a disposed in the longitudinally extended state.

In the television image display area 2 d, the television imagesdisplayed in the television image display area 2 b on the main displaypart 2 a disposed in the laterally extended state until then arecontinuously displayed. A screen for browsing through the characterinformation including text of the received electronic mail (refer toFIG. 22 a), or a screen for creating a reply electronic mail to thereceived electronic mail (refer to FIG. 22 b) is displayed in the maildisplay area 2 e.

If the user rotates the display case 3 from the laterally extended stateto the longitudinally extended state before the entire characterinformation of text of the received electronic mail is subjected to thescroll display on the main display part 2 a as shown in FIGS. 21 a and21 b, a mail browsing application is started to display a mail browsingscreen as shown in FIG. 22 a on the main display part 2 a. The maildisplay area 2 e on this mail browsing screen displays an owner name ora mail address of an opposite communication terminal being atransmitting source of the received electronic mail, and the characterinformation including text and a subject of the electronic mail createdin the opposite communication terminal.

In the present embodiment, if a user rotates the display case 3 from thelaterally extended state to the longitudinally extended state before theentire character information including text of the received electronicmail is subjected to the scroll display on the main display part 2 a,the mail display area 2 e displays the character information other thanthe character information already subjected to the scroll display on themain display part 2 a, i.e. the character information following to thecharacter information already subjected to the scroll display.

When, for example, an electronic mail including a series of text asshown in the scroll display part 2 c of FIGS. 2 a to 2 c was received,and if the user rotated the display case 3 at the point of scrolldisplay of text as shown in the state of FIG. 21 a, the characterinformation following to the character information already subjected tothe scroll display is exclusively displayed in the mail display area 2 eas shown in FIG. 22.

As stated above, if the user desires to immediately browse through fulltext of the received electronic mail in the middle of confirming thecharacter information including text of the received electronic mail byscroll display while viewing the television broadcasts, the user carriesout an operation to start the mail browsing application before theentire character information of text of the received electronic mail issubjected to the scroll display on the main display part 2 a, whereby itis possible to browse through the character information other than thecharacter information already subjected to the scroll display on themain display part 2 a. Accordingly, browsing through full text of thereceived electronic mail can be realized in minimum display.

Meanwhile, if the user rotates the display case 3 from the laterallyextended state to the longitudinally extended state within a fixedperiod of time after the entire character information of text of thereceived electronic mail is subjected to the scroll display on the maindisplay part 2 a as shown in FIG. 21 c, the mail creating application isstarted to display a mail creation screen as shown in FIG. 22 b isdisplayed on the main display part 2 a. The mail display area 2 e onthis mail creation screen displays an owner name or a mail address of anopposite communication terminal being a transmitting destination of areply electronic mail, and character information including text and asubject of an electronic mail created in this mobile phone 1.

At this time, a mail address of the opposite communication terminalbeing a transmitting source of the received electronic mail isautomatically specified as a transmitting destination of a replyelectronic mail, and a subject of the reply electronic mail isautomatically created by setting “Re.” added to the head of a subject ofthe received electronic mail. Accordingly, the user of the mobile phone1 shall create only text of a reply electronic mail by operating theoperation keys 4 after the mail creating application is started todisplay a mail creation screen on the main display part 2 a. It shouldbe noted that a subject of a reply electronic mail can be changed byoperating the operation keys 4.

Information related to the television broadcast viewed by the user atthe time of starting a mail creating application may be automaticallyintegrated in text of a reply electronic mail. In this case, thecharacter information such as a television program name included in thereceived television broadcast waves may be integrated in text of a replyelectronic mail.

As stated above, if the user desires to create a reply electronic mailto a received electronic mail after confirming character informationincluding text of the received electronic mail by scroll display whileviewing the television broadcasts, the user carries out an operation tostart the mail creating application within a fixed period of time afterscroll display finishes, so as to create a reply electronic mail.Therefore, an operation to specify a mail address of a transmittingdestination can be omitted and a reply electronic mail can be easilytransmitted.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing an example of a mail reception processwhich is carried out when an electronic mail is received while thedisplay case 2 should be in the laterally extended state. When theelectronic mail is received from the opposite communication terminalwhile the display case 2 should be in the laterally extended state, andif the television broadcast reception part 24 does not receive thetelevision broadcast waves (No in step S501), mail information such astext and a subject of the received electronic mail and the mail addressof the opposite communication terminal is stored in the memory 27 (stepS512). At this time, the main display part 2 a displays a notificationthat the electronic mail has been received, after which the useroperates the operation keys 4 to read and browse through the mailinformation stored in the memory 27.

Meanwhile, if the television broadcast reception part 24 receives thetelevision broadcast waves while the electronic mail is received fromthe opposite communication terminal when the display case 2 should be inthe laterally extended state (Yes in step S501), mail information suchas text and a subject of the received electronic mail and a mail addressof the opposite communication terminal is stored in the memory 27 (stepS502), and the character information extraction part 51 extractscharacter information of the text from the mail information (step S503).The main display part 2 a is then divided into the television imagedisplay area 2 b and the scroll display area 2 c, where characterinformation including text of an extracted electronic mail is subjectedto the scroll display in the scroll display area 2 c by the scrolldisplay part 52 (step S504).

If the user carries out an operation to rotate the display case 3 fromthe laterally extended state to the longitudinally extended state afterscroll display starts (Yes in step S505), and if the user carries outthe operation before entire character information of text is subjectedto the scroll display in the scroll display area 2 c (Yes in step S506),the mail browsing application start part 53 a starts the mail browsingapplication (step S507), so as to display the mail browsing screen asshown in FIG. 22 a on the main display part 2 a (step S508).

On the contrary, after entire character information of text is subjectedto the scroll display in the scroll display area 2 c (No in step S506),and if the user carries out an operation within a fixed period of time(Yes in step S509), the mail creating application start part 53 b startsthe mail creating application (step S510), and a mail creation screen asshown in FIG. 22 b is displayed on the main display part 2 a (stepS511).

Although explanation was made in the present embodiment for thestructure in which character information including text of a receivedelectronic mail is subjected to the scroll display on the main displaypart 2 a, such a structure in not limited and a structure to realizescroll display of a subject of a received electronic mail on the maindisplay part 2 a may also be employed. In this case, the scroll displaymay include a subject added to text of the received electronic mail onthe main display part 2 a, or an owner name or a mail address of theopposite communication terminal may be further added to the scrolldisplay on the main display part 2 a.

The present application claims priority under the Paris convention onthe basis of a patent application filed on Nov. 22, 2005 (JapanesePatent Application No. 2005-336982), and other patent applications filedon Nov. 24, 2005 (Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2005-337937 and2005-339458) in Japan, while entire contents of these patentapplications are referred to and cited herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a mobile phoneaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which casesare closed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the mobile phone of FIG. 1, inwhich the cases are expanded.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a display case of the mobile phoneof FIG. 2 is rotated clockwise at about 45 degrees from a state of FIG.2 when it is seen from a front surface.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the display case of the mobilephone of FIG. 2 is rotated clockwise at 90 degrees from the state ofFIG. 2 when it is seen from a front surface.

FIG. 5 is a rear surface view of the mobile phone in the state of FIG.2, showing a perspective structure in a holding part.

FIG. 6 is a rear surface view of the mobile phone in a state of FIG. 3,showing a perspective structure in the holding part.

FIG. 7 is a rear surface view of the mobile phone in a state of FIG. 4,showing a perspective structure in the holding part.

FIG. 8 is a front surface view of a hinge part in the state of FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a front surface view of the hinge part in the state of FIG. 3.

FIG. 10 is a front surface view of the hinge part in a state of FIG. 4.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical structureof the mobile phone.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram to explain an operation carried out whensignals are received in a communication part and a television broadcastreception part.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a process to answer a callwhen the call comes from the other party phone while receivingtelevision broadcast waves.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of a process to answer a callwhen the call comes from the other party phone while receivingtelevision broadcast waves, showing a process continued from FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical structureof a mobile phone according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram to explain an operation carried out whensignals are received in the communication part and the televisionbroadcast reception part.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing an example of the laterally extendedstate switching process which is carried out when the display case isswitched from the longitudinally extended state to the laterallyextended state.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an example of the longitudinally extendedstate switching process which is carried out when the display case isswitched from the laterally extended state to the longitudinallyextended state.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical structureof a mobile phone according to a third embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram to explain an operation carried out whensignals are received in the communication part and the televisionbroadcast reception part.

FIG. 21 shows an example of an embodiment in which character informationincluding text of a received electronic ma is subjected to the scrolldisplay on a main display by a scroll display of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 shows an example of an embodiment in which an application startpart starts an application in accordance with an operation carried outby the user after scroll display starts.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing an example of a process to receive anelectronic mail when the mail is received while the display case shouldbe in the laterally extended state.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 Mobile phone-   2 Display case-   2 a Main display part-   4 Operation keys-   4 a Holding button-   5 Operation case-   23 Communication part-   24 Television broadcast reception part-   25 Rotational position detection part-   30 Control part-   31 Incoming call process part-   32 Response part-   33 Recording part-   34 Television output part-   35 Television image display part-   36 Television audio output part-   37 Image rotation part-   38 Character information display part-   39 Output selection part-   41 Incoming call process part-   42 Response part-   43 Recording part-   44 Television output part-   45 Television image display part-   46 Television audio output part-   47 Image rotation part-   48 Character information display part-   51 Character information extraction part-   52 Scroll display part-   53 Application start part-   53 a Mail browsing application start part-   53 b Mail creating application start part-   54 Television output part-   55 Television image display part-   56 Television audio output part-   57 Image rotation part

1. A mobile phone comprising: a display case having a rectangular display screen created on a case face; audio output means arranged in said display case on one end side of a longitudinal direction on said display screen and used in a state that a user puts said case face on the user's ear; holding means adapted to rotatably hold said display case within a face of horizontally disposing said display screen so that said display screen should be in a longitudinally extended state and a laterally extended state; rotational operation detection means adapted to detect a rotational operation of said display case by the user; television broadcast reception means adapted to receive a television broadcast wave; television image display means adapted to cause said display screen to display a television image created on the basis of a received television broadcast wave and rotated in accordance with said rotational operation; radio communication means adapted to transmit/receive a call signal and a response signal; and incoming call response means adapted to generate a response signal and to establish a communication state on the basis of a rotational operation to make a transition of said display screen displaying the television image from the laterally extended state to the longitudinally extended state in a period answerable to said call signal, wherein said television image display means has first image rotation means adapted to rotate display of a television image on said display screen on the basis of a rotational operation to make a transition of said display screen displaying the television image from the laterally extended state to the longitudinally extended state when it is not in a period answerable to said call signal.
 2. The mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein said television image display means has image display stop means adapted to stop display of the television image on said display screen when said incoming call response means establishes the communication state.
 3. The mobile phone according to claim 2, comprising recording means adapted to record subsequent television images based on the television broadcast wave when said image display stop means stops displaying the television image.
 4. The mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein said television image display means has character information display means adapted to cause said display screen disposed in the longitudinally extended state to display the television image and character information extracted from the television broadcast wave so as to correspond to the television image.
 5. The mobile phone according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said television image display means has image display start means adapted to start display of the television image on said display screen on the basis of a rotational operation to make a transition of the display screen displaying no television images from the longitudinally extended state to the laterally extended state.
 6. The mobile phone according to claim 5, wherein said television image display means has first image rotation means adapted to rotate display of a television image on said display screen at 90 degrees on the basis of a rotational operation to make a transition of said display screen displaying the television image from the laterally extended state to the longitudinally extended state when it is not in a period answerable to said call signal.
 7. The mobile phone according to claim 6, wherein said television image display means has second image rotation means adapted to rotate display of the television image on said display screen at 90 degrees on the basis of a rotational operation to make a transition of said display screen displaying the television image from the longitudinally extended state to the laterally extended state.
 8. The mobile phone according to claim 6, wherein said television image display means has character information display means adapted to cause said display screen disposed in the longitudinally extended state to display the television image and character information extracted from the television broadcast wave so as to correspond to the television image.
 9. The mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein said television image display means has second image rotation means adapted to rotate display of the television image on said display screen at 90 degrees on the basis of a rotational operation to make a transition of said display screen displaying the television image from the longitudinally extended state to the laterally extended state. 